


Five or Nothing

by mintchocjun



Category: TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe - Foster Family, Alternate Universe - High School, Brotherhood, Eventual Happy Ending, Family, Foster Care, Gen, Light Angst, Search for Happiness, Slice of Life, i try to make this as wholesome as i can, i was in self-isolation when i wrote this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:47:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23496997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mintchocjun/pseuds/mintchocjun
Summary: Kang Taehyun was a troubled kid who grew up in the foster care system.  After he was sent back to the foster care for the sixth time, Taehyun had reached a point where he no longer believed in the word family. Now that he is in the care of a seventh foster family, would Taehyun finally understand the true meaning of family, love, and trust through his new foster siblings?
Comments: 24
Kudos: 104





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Henlo~ this idea came to me a few months back but I finally got to start on it after being forced into isolation 🙃 
> 
> not sure how it'll turn out but enjoy?

**CHAPTER 1**

Taehyun sighed as he took one last look at his shared bedroom; his side of the room was as empty as his heart. It was the sixth time he got sent back to foster care, and it was probably the shortest time he'd spent with a foster family. 

Unlike other teenagers his age, Taehyun was under foster care at the tender age of five. His birth mother was a repeat drug abuser and was still a teenager when she had him. Taehyun, then four, was taken from his mother when the court ruled that she was unfit to care for him. As such, his grandparents took care of him for a year before refusing to take responsibilities of him and left him in foster care. 

"Get in the car!" 

Taehyun rolled his eyes at his foster dad. He hated that man so much he decided it was only right for him to leave a farewell gift for them; and by that he meant a hole in the bedroom door. 

"You little piece of shit! I swear I will beat the crap out of you!"

"Try me. We're heading to court anyway - I might just tell the judge all the things you've done to me. Say, that one time you slapped me when we were at the diners or when you burnt my skin with your cigarette buds. I have evidence," Taehyun pulled up his long sleeves and smirked before he boarded the car. 

That was how his sixth foster care came to an end.

* * *

Taehyun was browsing through his phone when he heard a knock on his door, "Taehyun, there's someone I want you to meet."

He gave a quizzical look at the caretaker, wondering who in their right mind would want to meet him.

"It might seem like a rush since you just got out of your last foster family, but this couple saw your profile a few months back and were eager to meet you when they heard about what happened. I've done a thorough check on them, and they seemed nice, so I thought they might just be the one for you."

Taehyun rolled his eyes at the last sentence. They were standing in front of the meeting room. _That's what you always say,_ he muttered under his breath, loud enough for the caretaker to hear him _._ The only thing separating him from his 'prospective foster parents' was the translucent glass door. 

It would be a lie to say that Taehyun wasn't nervous. He was pretty sure he has a list of bad records so why would anyone be interested in fostering him? Taehyun took a deep breath as the caretaker pushed the door open, revealing a middle-aged couple who seemed a lot nicer than his other foster parents, "Mr and Mrs Lee, this is Kang Taehyun, the one you've been waiting for."

"Taehyun! I'm so happy we could finally meet you. My husband and I have been waiting for you for so long!" Taehyun blinked his eyes in confusion. 

_Okay, this lady is giving me a weird vibe - nice weird vibe._

"Look at you! You're even better looking in person!"

"Have you eaten? We brought rice cakes and some snacks for you. We're not sure what you like so my wife, and I got a little bit of everything for you. Here, take it!"

Taehyun took the black plastic that was filled with drinks and snacks; some of which were his personal favourites. He placed the bag on the table as he sat opposite of the couple with the caretaker seated right next to him. 

"Mr Lee, Mrs Lee, we have reviewed your application, and everything looks good except for one thing."

Taehyun gulped as he waited for the caretaker to elaborate further, "The both of you are currently caring for four other foster kids. I'm not sure if it's ideal to have you care for Taehyun. You see Taehyun here-"

Before the caretaker could explain further, Taehyun stood up from his chair and cleared his throat, "I'm kinda busy right now, so if you don't mind, I'd like to excuse myself. Oh, and thank you for the snacks. It was nice meeting both of you."

Taehyun knew precisely where this was going. The caretaker will explain his current situation and his potential foster family will revoke their application because nobody was willing to look after a burden like him. He hates to admit it, but for the very first time, he somehow felt a connection with the two adults sitting in front of him. 

The room fell silent as Taehyun glanced at the caretaker, waiting for her to give him the green light to go back to his room. The lady sighed as she nodded her head, "You may go."

The adults waited until Taehyun had left the room before they proceeded to talk business, "Is he always this quiet and reserved?"

"Sadly, yes. Taehyun doesn't open up to strangers that quickly. You see Mr Lee, Taehyun had a tough childhood growing up. He was too smart for his age, and his previous foster families thought he was too much for them to handle. Nobody could keep up with him. I'm sure you're well aware of the fact that his latest foster family lasted for just four months. We think these constant changes of family dynamics are slowly taking a toll on him," the room fell quiet as the caretaker paused for a moment. 

Mrs Lee was visually upset that they might miss the chance of caring for Taehyun. She has no idea why but ever since she laid eyes on Taehyun's picture in the foster care system; she had this strong urge to bring him home and shower him with all the love he deserves.

"This is why we're cautious about his next foster family; which I believe the both of you are the perfect candidates for him, but with four other kids under your care, I'm not sure if adding Taehyun to your family would be a good choice." 

Mr Lee took one last look at Taehyun's profile before closing it. He gave his wife one last reassuring look before he turned to face the caretaker, "I believe Taehyun will grow better as a person if he surrounds himself with people his age, and our boys are around his age with the youngest being the same age as him. He might look like a tough cookie, but I'm sure he will warm up to us sooner than you'd expect." 

"Mr Lee, it's not that I am against this, but Taehyun is a special boy to us. He was in this system for so long, and we just want the best and nothing but the best for him. We have hurt him enough and we-"

"Ma'am, I have never once doubted myself or my wife's capabilities in bringing joy to these kids' lives. Please, these kids, they're all special in their own ways, and they need us," Mr Lee squeezed his wife's hand in reassurance as he looked straight into the caretaker's eyes, "Taehyun needs us to guide him, and I promise you, we will be there for him every step of the way."

* * *

Taehyun shut the door behind and sighed as he made his way back to his room. He knew things don't always turn out well for him but weirdly enough; he finds himself intrigued by the two adults. There was just something about them that had Taehyun up the whole night thinking about them.

_What if?_ Taehyun thought to himself. 

_What would happen if their application was successful?_

_Will they love me like their own; or will they treat me like I’m just a kid who makes their resume look slightly more fancy than others?_

_Will I finally have a place to call home?_

Taehyun brushed those thoughts away even before he could read more into it. There were no such things as _what-ifs_ in his life. It's either he stays with one family for a whole year or gets sent back after a few months. Getting adopted had never once crossed his mind. Taehyun was never an optimist, but he never saw himself as a pessimist either. It’s safe to say; he is neither this nor that. Just a 17-year-old, still learning about himself. 

In spite of everything, if there was anything he ever wanted in his life was to find his source of happiness; and Taehyun hated how everyone around him kept telling him the concept of happiness means having a family by his side. And just like everyone else, he too yearns for a family of his own. But after all that has happened, a family is exactly what he detests most.

The thought of coming home from school, and being forced to take a shower before he could eat his dinner or being pestered to study and having to achieve goals set by his parents, nauseate him. To Taehyun, having one means burdening oneself. What he wanted most was freedom. Freedom to do whatever he wants without being tied down by rules laid out by adults who think they are better than him. But what Taehyun refused to admit was somewhere deep in his heart, he too craves for someone to be genuinely happy for him when he tops the class; for someone to hug him and wipe his tears away whenever he breaks down.

_Do I even deserve to be happy?_


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for reading this au, and for your comments and kudos! When I first uploaded it, I didn't expect anyone to like it, so thank you so much for spending your precious time reading this au 🥰🥰🥰

"YEONJUN HYUNG! IT'S BEEN HALF AN HOUR! LET ME USE THE BATHROOM!" The blonde-haired boy has been incessantly knocking on the bathroom door, pleading for the older boy to let him use the bathroom; but to no avail.

The older boy continued to ignore his pleas, and the blonde boy had no choice but to call for backup, "Uncle Chanhee!!!!"

Chanhee, who was in the kitchen making breakfast with his wife, was startled by the cries of the blonde boy. His wife, Leah, took the bread knife from him, urging him to head upstairs to see what the ruckus was about. 

"Beomgyu? What's going on?" The first thing Chanhee saw when he reached the second floor was Beomgyu lying down in front of the bathroom, "Why are you on the floor?"

"Yeonjun Hyung is hogging the bathroom again," Beomgyu whined.

Chanhee let out a sigh as he pulled out a bunch of keys from his pockets as if it was a normal thing to do, "Come on, get up." 

The door swung open just as he was about to slot the key into the keyhole. Out came Yeonjun, clad only in a towel wrapped around his waist, drying his hair with a smaller towel, "Why are you making a scene so early in the morning?" 

Yeonjun completely ignored the fact that Chanhee was standing beside him as he continued to tease Beomgyu, which made the older man fuming with anger. 

"Yeonjun, put some clothes on and stop bullying your brother," he said as sternly as he could. 

Chanhee had never once raised his voice at any of the children; even when they get on his nerves, just like today, "Beomgyu, go take your shower now. I want everyone at the dining room in fifteen minutes, or you're grounded for a week. Soobin! Kai! Kitchen duties, now!" 

Everyone, except for Yeonjun, scrambled instantaneously at the mention of being grounded. Soobin and Kai, who were in their respective rooms, ran down to the kitchen to help Leah prepare breakfast for everyone. 

There was never a peaceful day in the Lee household, but both Leah and Chanhee would never trade anything else for this. It would be an understatement to say they would do anything for their four foster kids. They loved them more than they could've imagined and it all started when they first fostered Soobin two years ago. 

Soobin was the sweetest, most well-behaved teenager they've ever met. He would help out around the house, cleans up after himself, and pretty much does things without being told. The couple thought most teenagers would be just like Soobin, but they thought wrong.

Things started going south when they brought Yeonjun home five months later. The boy, albeit a year older than Soobin, was a lot more childish than him. He would pull pranks on everyone; be it at home or in school. Visits to the principal's office was a norm - almost a weekly routine for them. After a few counselling sessions, they've since learnt that it was one of his coping mechanisms or simply put; his odd way of vying for attention. 

A little over a year after Soobin and Yeonjun came into their lives, Leah and Chanhee thought it was time for them to foster another child. Things turned out slightly different when they brought back not just one, but two foster kids, Beomgyu and Kai. 

When Beomgyu and Kai first joined the family, they were different yet similar to the older boys. 

Beomgyu mostly kept to himself when he first came and only started opening up more after sharing a room with Soobin. Seeing how they were only a few months apart, the two hit it off right off the bat and soon became the best of friends. 

Kai, on the other hand, was just as reserved as Beomgyu when he first came but does share similar characteristics with Yeonjun. Seeing how Yeonjun was older than Kai by three years, things were quite awkward for the first few days. After spending a few days together in the same room, the two found out they share a few similar hobbies; one of which was pulling pranks on other people. Now, they both gang up with each other to pull pranks on both Soobin and Beomgyu whenever they can; which drives both Leah and Chanhee insane.

"Boys, we have an announcement to make," Leah announced as soon as everyone was done with their breakfast, "We had a discussion a few months back, and we thought now is the right time to let you guys in on our plan."

All four boys listened intently to whatever Leah was saying as Chanhee watched from the sidelines, "Your Uncle and I are planning on fostering another teenager. He's the same age as Kai, and he's been in this system longer than anyone could have imagined. We saw his profile at the same place that cared for Soobin years ago, and we thought long and hard about fostering him."

The room fell quiet as everyone tried to process this new information. Leah and Chanhee exchanged worried glances as the boys were never this quiet, "Fostering five kids at the same time might seem crazy but there's something about him that makes us want to take care of him." 

Chanhee cleared his throat; gaining attention from the four boys, "His name is Kang Taehyun and like what your Aunt said, he's been in this system for far too long. As much as we want to bring him home, we thought we should ask for your opinions."

"If things were to go as planned, when will you be bringing him home?" Yeonjun broke the silence.

"We're still in discussion with his caretaker, but it should be some time this week or the next," replied Chanhee.

"Will he be attending our school?" It was Beomgyu's turn to ask.

Leah nods her head, "That would be an ideal arrangement. From what I know, he's the top student at his current school. Transferring at a time like this might affect his studies, so I hope you boys will look out for him." 

"Wow, someone smarter than Yeonjun Hyung?" Kai mumbled under his breath. 

Yeonjun, who overheard what he said, couldn't help but pinch Kai's thigh out of annoyance. 

"OUCH! WHAT THE F-" 

"As your Aunt was saying, we know this would not only affect him but everyone in this household. But come what may, I want all of you to know that we have your interests at heart. Whatever happens, we will always be here for you." 

While everyone else was busy throwing questions at them, Soobin was relatively quiet this whole time. Chanhee noticed how Soobin became anxious at the mention of Taehyun. He was aware of the fact that Soobin and Taehyun were acquaintances, and he was hoping that Soobin would be the one to help bring him out of his shell, but looking at his reaction, Chanhee was starting to have second thoughts about it. 

"Soobin? Is everything alright?" Leah grew concerned as Soobin's facial expression turned gloomier by the second.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine. No worries. I think I know who you guys were referring too. He's a nice kid and will have no issues fitting in with us. Yeah, no problem at all." 

Chanhee examined the boy's face, and even though he said he was fine, Chanhee knew he was nowhere near fine. 

_Did something happen between them, which we weren't aware of?_

* * *

It has been a week since Taehyun was told he would be placed under the care of the Lee family. The day had finally arrived, and Taehyun was surprisingly more nervous than he thought he would be. 

"You okay there, buddy?" Taehyun, who was on his bed, looked up to see his caretaker standing in front of his door.

"Ma'am, I don't know why, but I feel nervous? I've met them once, but it still feels weird, you know what I mean?" 

His caretaker nods her head in understanding. She knew he had been through one too many rough times including the countless irresponsible foster family Taehyun had to go through. Still, she was confident that the Lee family was the one for him, "Sweetheart, I'm sorry for putting you through all these. My heart breaks each time they send you back to us. If only they knew how special you are; none of them would have treated you the way they did."

Taehyun simply stared at his sneakers the whole time as he forced back his tears from falling, "Those scars all over your bodies; I'm pretty sure they are minute compared to the scars in your heart. If I could, I would have brought you home with me in a heart's beat. I'm so sorry for all the pains and sufferings you had to go through. If given a chance, I wouldn't mind bearing all of them for you if it meant giving you the chance to grow up with all the love and happiness you deserve." 

"Ma'am, I- I don't know what to say," replied Taehyun with a shaky voice, "I'm sorry for all the troubles that I've caused. For the countless times, you had to go down to the family court because of me. I'm not sure if this family would be the one for me, but I'll try my best to stay out of trouble; just for you." 

"Taehyun, don't do it for me. No, don't do it for anyone but yourself. If anything, I hope you'd continue to be true to yourself. Taehyun, you came to us at such a young age. I have seen how much you've grown throughout the years. You are special, Taehyun, and it's sad how nobody saw it. I am sure your new foster parents knew how special you are with how eager they were to care for you, and I am confident they will love you just the way you are."

Taehyun couldn't hold his tears in any longer, and soon enough, he was a sobbing mess, "Oh my poor boy, don't cry. You'll be fine, I promise. Come on; they're waiting for you in the waiting room."

Taking a deep breath, Taehyun wiped his tears away and nodded his head. He took all of his belongings with him, making sure not a single one was left behind. Taehyun had no idea why, but somehow it feels like this would be the last time he would be back here. 

Taehyun walked carefully behind his caretaker as she led him to the waiting room. His heart was palpitating as they got closer. With each step he took, Taehyun could feel his hands trembling. He was anxious about meeting his new foster parents. 

_Get a grip Kang Taehyun! We've been through this so many times._

"Mr Lee, Mrs Lee, sorry to keep you waiting. I've brought Taehyun with me," The caretaker stepped aside, revealing Taehyun who had in turn put on his poker face. Not an ounce of nervousness on his face. 

His caretaker took hold of his hand, squeezing it tightly as a form of reassurance, "Taehyun, they're your new foster parents, Leah and Chanhee. Do you remember what I said earlier?"

Taehyun nodded in response. 

"Good. I have no doubts your foster parents will do an amazing job in looking after you, but I still want you to take care of yourself. Study hard, stay out of trouble and most importantly, I want you to be happy wherever you are."

Leah and Chanhee stood at the side as they watched the two of them share one last hug. Leah could feel tears forming in her eyes as she witnessed this intimate moment. Thoughts came flooding into her mind, which made her even more determined to care for Taehyun. 

Wanting to give them more time, Chanhee signalled to Leah that he would be waiting for them in the car before quietly taking all of Taehyun's belongings along with him. 

Once she was sure Taehyun was ready to leave, Leah stepped forward and tapped on his shoulders, "Are you ready to come home with us, buddy?" 

Taehyun snuck a glance at his caretaker, who in turn gave him a reassuring smile, "Yeah...yes, I am." 

"Shall we go now? There is someone we want you to meet."

_Well, here goes nothing._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The rest of the boys finally made their appearances and things will probably get more chaotic from now on heh


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I'm back after nearly two months of procrastinating jjsjdshasjh

It was already the last period of the day, and it also happens to be Soobin's favourite subject, literature. He was usually attentive in class, but somehow today, his mind just can't seem to focus in class. It was so bad that Beomgyu even had to nudge his arms in the middle of lessons a few times. 

"Hyung, what's wrong with you? You've been so out of it these past few days. Are you sick?" Beomgyu tiptoed, placing the back of his hands on Soobin's forehead, "Well, you're not running a fever, and that's good. Do you want to talk about what's on your mind lately? I've noticed how you've been more distant ever since Aunt Leah broke the news. My _Soobin Hyung is sad_ senses has been going off quite often these days. Is it because of the new kid? Are you not okay with the idea of him staying with us?" 

Soobin sighed. He hated how Beomgyu always knows when something's been bothering him. At the same time, he was also thankful to have Beomgyu by his side. Beomgyu's radar was right. Soobin hasn't been feeling well for the past few days. His mood swings were so severe; he even lashed out on Kai this morning, which is something he wouldn't have done on a typical day. 

"I don't know. I just-" Soobin tousled hair in annoyance. No, he wasn't just annoyed; he was frustrated too, and it was starting to eat him up. Soobin really had no idea why he was so severely affected by the news of Taehyun joining the family. If anyone should be affected by all of these, that person should've been Taehyun. He was well aware of the things Taehyun had gone through over the last few years, and even though he was told that Taehyun was doing just fine, Soobin can't seem to brush off that feeling of guilt. 

"It's okay, Hyung. You don't have to talk about it if you're not ready. You can always look for me if you need someone to talk to." 

Soobin mouthed a  _ thank you _ to Beomgyu, and promised to find him when he's ready to talk about whatever that's been bothering him, "Come on, let's go grab some ice cream before we head home for the party! My treat!" With a smile on his face, Soobin let himself get dragged by the younger boy. Seeing Beomgyu acting all cute and clingy, definitely made him feel slightly better. Still, the thought of seeing Taehyun at home, made his stomach churned. 

_ How do I face Taehyun again after what had happened?  _

\---

"YEONJUN HYUNG STOP IT!" Yeonjun laughed as he popped another balloon directly beside Kai's ears. Annoyed, Kai took all of the balloons from Yeonjun and gave him something else to do instead, "Here, sweep the floor. You made a mess, you clean it up." 

Yeonjun stuck his tongue out childishly at Kai as he took the broom from the younger boy. He had spent a good fifteen minutes sweeping the second floor when he saw Soobin and Beomgyu trudging their way into the house, "WHAT TOOK YOU GUYS SO LONG TO COME HOME? DID YOU GUYS EAT ICE CREAM WITHOUT US?"

Beomgyu, who was standing at the carpark, looked up from where he was and saw Yeonjun shouting from inside of their study room, "YES WE DID! WHAT ABOUT IT?" 

"You little piece of sh-" 

"Yeonjun Hyung! What are you doing upstairs? There are more things to clean up down here." 

"Kai, they ate ice cream without us!" Yeonjun came running down the stairs as he snitched on the two boys.

Kai's eyes widened at the news. Shuddering, he looked towards Beomgyu, the sense of betrayal raw, "I've been bugging you for ice cream since forever! The disrespect!"

With a pout, Yeonjun stomped his way down the staircase and joined Kai. He had expected for Beomgyu to give him a dirty look but what he didn't expect was to see a gloomy Soobin. Soobin's deep-set dimples were nowhere to be found, and the usual smile that was plastered on his face was replaced by a frown.

"Did something happen?" Yeonjun pulled Beomgyu aside and whispered into his ears. 

Beomgyu shrugged his shoulders. He might have an idea why Soobin wasn't in his usual mood, but he wasn't exactly sure if he was right and did not want to speculate things, "He'll be fine."

"Okay, go wash up. We need to get things done before they come home. Beomgyu, you got the cake, right? Right? Don't tell me you came home empty-handed," Yeonjun's eyes narrowed down to Beomgyu's empty hand. He turned to Soobin, hoping that he was the one carrying the cake box, but of course, he too was empty-handed.  Beomgyu's eyes widened at the mention of the cake. Yes, he was too caught up with wanting to cheer up Soobin that he had completely forgotten about the cake, "Honestly though, I have no idea why we need a cake. I mean, it's not like we're cel- I'll be right back!" 

All it took was a stare from Yeonjun before Beomgyu realised it was his mistake for not collecting the cake. The only way to get himself out of trouble was to pick up the forgotten cake as soon as possible. Only taking his wallet and phone with him, Beomgyu shoved his bag at Yeonjun and ran out as fast as he could before Yeonjun could say another word.

"YA! CHOI BEOMGYU!" Yeonjun yelled at the younger boy who was seen sprinting his way to the bakery to collect the forgotten cake. Yeonjun threw the bag on the floor and closed the front door. He couldn't help but grumble as he continued sweeping the dirty floor, "I have to cook, I have to clean this house and now I have to make sure nobody forgets about their own chores. Which reminds me, I need to heat up the lasagna. Soob, mop the floor after you're done washing up." 

Soobin forced a smile and nodded as he grabbed Beomgyu's bag that was lying on the floor. Yeonjun watched as the younger boy made his way up to his room; Soobin, who usually walks with his head held up high, was looking down and dejected. Yeonjun kept the broom aside and walked towards Kai, who was busy trying to arrange the balloons on the walls; the younger was grumbling under his breath, clearly unhappy about Beomgyu's betrayal. He wanted to know what was going on with Soobin, and he was pretty sure Kai would at least know something, "Kai."

"Yea, Hyung?"

Yeonjun paused. He wasn't sure if asking Kai about Soobin's problem would do any good for either of them. He knows that if he were to ask Kai about Soobin's 'out of the ordinary behaviour', it might worry the younger boy. Yeonjun is well aware of the fact that Kai is not the type to ignore his brothers' problems. Kai would do whatever it takes to help them, which in turn, stresses the younger one out more than it should, "Did you eat my cheesecake last night?" 

"What?! No, I did not eat your cheesecake!" Yeonjun laughed at Kai's reaction. Of course, he didn't eat the cheesecake. There was no cheesecake, to begin with.  Kai's is too kind for his own good. He might be the youngest, but nobody could deny the fact that he is always the one cheering everyone up at the expense of his own happiness, "Should we get some cheesecake tomorrow? You love cheesecakes, don't you? We can get ice cream too if you want."

Yeonjun noticed how Kai's eyes doubled in size at the mention of cheesecake and ice cream. He couldn't help but smile when he saw how happy Kai looked, "Your treat right?"

"Of course,"  Yeonjun ruffled Kai's hair in affection. Kai was too innocent for his own good which makes Yeonjun extra protective of the younger. However, this time around, he was even more worried about Soobin than he is with Kai. 

_ What is wrong with Soobin? _

\---

Taehyun sat quietly at the backseat of the car, looking out of the window. Neither Lea nor Chanhee spoke to him ever since they got in the car and he was glad they didn't. He needed some time to gather his thoughts and to calm himself down. Taehyun wasn't sure about what Lea meant by someone they wanted him to meet. He wonders if it was someone from his past and secretly wished that wasn't the case. Because there was absolutely nobody from his past that he was eager to meet. 

"Have you had your dinner?" Chanhee broke the silence. 

Taehyun's eyes met Chanhee's through the rear-view mirror. He noticed how softly Chanhee was looking at him; something he wasn't used to; especially coming from a foster parent. Taehyun broke the eye contact and focused his attention on the view in front of him, "Not yet."

"What about lunch? You've had your lunch, right?" It was Lea's turn to ask him.

"Yes, I had it in school."

And that was the end of the conversation. 

Despite the traffic jam, it didn't take them long before they reached the house. Taehyun alighted the car and carefully shut the door behind him. He stood at the side as he watched Chanhee unload all of his belongings. If it was in the past, he would've been told to do it himself. Taehyun could feel himself finally relaxing around them. 

_ They're not so bad after all.  _ Taehyun thought to himself. 

His train of thoughts was interrupted when he felt a hand on his arms; it was Lea, "Taehyun? Let's head in."

Grabbing tightly onto the straps of his backpack, Taehyun followed closely behind the couple as they guided him into the house. He noticed their home was a lot bigger than his other foster families, and in front of the garage were four different colour bicycles; which he assumed belonged to the other four foster kids. 

"Kids, we're back!"  Taehyun followed Lea and Chanhee as they took off their shoes. He also noticed how everyone had their own space on the shoe rack; including his. Lea nods her head as if confirming that that space indeed belongs to him. With a smile on his face, Taehyun placed his sneakers on the shoe racks and put on the house slippers. His heart beats twice as fast as he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. 

Standing in front of him was a blonde-haired boy who was slightly taller than him. The blonde looked suspiciously at Taehyun, almost as if he was trying to decipher him. Seconds later, a taller one with black hair came running down the stairs, greeting him with a broad smile, "Hi, I'm Kai! This is Beomgyu!"

"Beomgyu HYUNG," The blonde accentuated on the last word, as he shot daggers at the taller boy, almost as if he was a puppy claiming his territory, "Taehyun right?"

Beomgyu finally cracked a smile as he offered his hand for a handshake, which Taehyun accepted shyly, "Kang Taehyun." 

"Look, we prepared a welcoming party for you! Hope it's not too much!" Kai took Taehyun by his arms and eagerly showed off the beautifully decorated living room he had painstakingly decorated on his own, no thanks to Yeonjun. 

Taehyun simply smiled. He wasn't used to this act of kindness from a foster family, and thus had no idea how to react. A welcoming party? That's something he wouldn't have imagined coming from a foster family. Kai kept on talking to Taehyun, showing him around the first floor, with Beomgyu tagging along behind them. Moments later came a blue-haired boy with piercings on both his ears. The first thought that came to Taehyun's mind was that he was cool, and the second was how was he able to escape from the disciplinary master when his hair was THAT blue. 

"That's Yeonjun hyung. He's the oldest out of us," introduced Kai.

"And the most childish as well," Beomgyu butted in.

"Shut up," Yeonjun eyed Beomgyu, pushing the younger to the side as he took his spot in front of Taehyun, "Choi Yeonjun. I cook, clean and catch the bugs in this house. Are you afraid of bugs too?"

Taehyun nods his head in response. To be honest, he was slightly intimidated by Yeonjun, and his blue hair and piercings weren't helping at all, "Wonderful, another scary cat. I heard you're the top student at your school? For how long?" 

"Since elementary school," replied Taehyun. 

"That's cool," Yeonjun replied nonchalantly, "Looking forward to you taking over my spot in school!"

With that, Yeonjun disappeared into the kitchen, leaving the three boys standing awkwardly in front of the fireplace. Beomgyu and Kai exchanged looks. They knew precisely what Yeonjun meant when he said that. Yeonjun might have kept mum about it, but the boys knew the pressure of keeping his top spot was slowly eating Yeonjun up. 

"Soobin Hyung is showering right now. We should probably show you to your room," Taehyun agreed to Beomgyu's suggestion and followed the older boy up to his room. Beomgyu guided him to the last room on the second floor. The bedroom that was painted in off-white was big enough to fit three single beds with storage drawers. Taehyun was awed by the view in front of him. It seems like everyone had their own space in this room, "You're sharing a room with Yeonjun Hyung and Kai. Mine and Soobin hyung's are right next to the bathroom. The room at the other end is the study room. We usually do our homework there."

"You guys do your homework at home? Don't you have to attend night classes?" 

"Nah, Uncle Chanhee told the Principal that night classes were a waste of time, so we usually go home straight after the last lesson." 

"Isn't it mandatory to attend night classes?"

Beomgyu scratched his head in awkwardness, "But that does not mean he doesn't take our studies seriously. We have to maintain a certain rank in school, or there will be consequences. "

Taehyun raised his brows, curious about the said consequences, "For example, Kai once dropped ten spots, and Uncle Chanhee banned him from joining us on a trip to Jeju. So Kai stayed behind with Uncle Chanhee. But he did say Uncle Chanhee brought him out to shop while we were gone, so it wasn't that bad."

Taehyun gave a nervous smile. He wasn't sure if he could maintain his rank, especially since this is his first time studying at a private school. After finding out what happened to Kai didn't really calm him down. Thinking that now was the right time to change the topic to something other than their school rank, Taehyun finally asked about the last boy. He had already met the other three but not the last one, "I was told there were four of you. Where's the other one?" 

"Soobin Hyung? I think he's in our room," said Beomgyu, "He's kind of not his usual self right now so don't be too hard on yourself if he comes off a little cold-hearted."

Taehyun nods his head in response. 

_ Soobin? Funny how there is so many Soobin in Korea, but not one of them is the one I've been looking for. _

Taehyun wasn't exactly sure why his heart was racing as he got closer to Soobin and Beomgyu's room. His guts were telling him to turn around and head downstairs, but his brain kept telling him to keep walking straight, and so he did. Taehyun watched as Beomgyu softly knocked on the door as if he wanted to tell whoever's in the room, or in this case, Soobin, that he was outside and that he had company, "Hyung, he's here. You should meet him and say hi or something."

"He's here? Gyu, I'm not sure if I'm ready."

"Hyung, come one. He's outside the door, waiting for you. What do you mean by you're not ready? Just go up and say hi. I'm not asking you to hug him or tell him your life story."

Soobin sighed, loud enough for Taehyun, who was standing outside the bedroom, to hear, "Beomgyu, you know that's not what I mean. It's just that-"

Taehyun could hear the dilemma in Soobin's voice, and he found it weird how that voice sounded so familiar yet so unfamiliar. Thoughts came rushing to his mind.  _ Why is he so conflicted about meeting me? Does he not approve of me staying here? Maybe I should just tell them to send me back to the centre.  _ Not wanting to cause any more trouble, Taehyun turned around and headed downstairs. 

"Taehyun! Kang Taehyun! Wait," Taehyun, who was walking down the stairs, stopped and turned around. He met eyes with someone that wasn't Beomgyu. The boy was taller than the both of them, his brown hair almost covering his eyes, but Taehyun knew precisely who he was. Taehyun was stunned and confused when he saw Soobin standing at the top of the staircase, looking down at him, "Hyung? Soobin Hyung? What are you doing here? How? No, why?"

Taehyun could feel himself choking up. There were so many questions he wanted to ask, but he couldn't find the right words. Without much thoughts, Taehyun ran up the stairs and threw himself at Soobin. Thank god for Soobin's fast reflexes, as he managed to catch the younger boy before they both could even fall backwards. Beomgyu stood at the side, not wanting to interrupt their mini-reunion. He watched Taehyun cling on to Soobin like a koala bear and the older boy reciprocated his hug by caressing the younger's head, "Taehyun-ah, Hyung is sorry for leaving you behind. I shouldn't have left. I'm sorry!"

"Soobin Hyung, I'm glad you're okay. I'm just happy you made it out alive."

For the first time in his life, Taehyun was thrilled to meet someone from his past, and that someone was none other than Soobin. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They finally met! Also, thank you all for the comments! I'm glad you guys enjoyed reading this clapped au


	4. Chapter 4

_ 6:00 AM.  _

Yeonjun groaned as he forced himself out of bed. 

Yes, it was way too early for anyone to get ready for school. However, as he was the oldest and the only one who cooks, Yeonjun was tasked to prepare breakfast and lunch for the rest of the boys whenever their parents were out for a business trip. 

After showering and changing into his school pants, Yeonjun headed down to the kitchen to start cooking, with his uniform shirt in hand. To his surprise, someone else was already up and was sitting at the island having breakfast. 

Yeonjun squinted his eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room before he could recognise who that person was, "Taehyun? What are you doing so early in the morning?" 

"Oh, good morning Yeonjun Hyung. I'm just having breakfast. What about you? Why are you up and in your uniform?" Taehyun blinked in confusion.

"The adults are out for a business trip and I was supposed to prepare breakfast for all of you. It seems like you're having yours now. Why are you even up this early? I didn't notice you weren't in bed." 

"I couldn't sleep last night so I thought I'd start my day early and hopefully I'll manage to get some sleep tonight."

Yeonjun paused for a moment. He should've known Taehyun would have a hard time sleeping, especially since it was his first night last night, "It's cold today. Do you want a glass of warm milk for that…what is that that you're eating?" 

"Corn soup, and yes, please!"

_ Corn soup?  _ Yeonjun didn't know they had a supply of corn soup in the pantry and even if he did, it would've been the last thing he'd eat for breakfast. Yeonjun placed a medium-sized pot on the stop and poured some milk into it, bringing it to a boil. He added a little bit of honey, cinnamon and nutmeg to it. Yeonjun reached out for a transparent glass mug, with a squirrel decal on it, and poured the milk in it. He slid the mug in front of Taehyun, who seemed to be enjoying his bowl of corn soup. Yeonjun watched as the younger boy took a nervous sip of the warm milk. He heaved a sigh of relief when he saw the younger taking another sip; this time around, clearly enjoying the warm drink. 

"So Hyung, what do you want to do in college? You’re graduating this year aren’t you?" Taehyun looked up from his mug and made eye contact with the older boy who was clearly taken aback by his question. 

"Well, everyone expects me to study business, I guess that's what I'm gonna pursue."

"I see. But what do  _ you _ want to pursue?" 

Yeonjun stopped whatever he was doing and looked at the younger boy - noticing how he accentuated on the word 'you'. It was the first time someone had asked him that; and to be honest, he was caught off guard. If it was up to him, there were so many things he wanted to pursue, that is not business-related, but he was apprehensive about it. Yeonjun was scared that both Leah and Chanhee would disapprove of them, which is why he stuck with the safest route, a route the adults had planned out for him.

"Hyung, I think you'd be a good cook."

Yeonjun smiled. It had only been a few hours since he met Taehyun, but the younger boy had managed to figure out what he had kept secret for quite some time, "You think so?"

"This milk is proof." 

Once again, Yeonjun cracked into a smile. He was never like this with the rest of the boys - well at least not from the get-go. It was right there and then, that he realised Taehyun was indeed  _ special _ . There was something about him that pulled people towards. Nevertheless, Yeonjun still couldn't brush away the image of Soobin being all antsy as he waited for Taehyun's arrival. He was about to ask Taehyun about it when he heard someone coming down the stairs.

"I guess everyone's awake." 

  
  


The five boys cycled their way to school with Soobin leading them and Beomgyu lagging behind the rest of the pack. The boy had always had troubles keeping up with the rest of the boys when it comes to cycling. Noticing how the gap between them is getting larger and larger, Taehyun decided to slow down a little, hoping for Beomgyu to catch up with him. Seeing how the younger one had slowed down, Beomgyu took it as a cue to fasten his speed. Soon, the two boys were cycling side by side.

"Alright, see you guys later!" Yeonjun parked his bicycle and locked it as soon as he reached the school grounds. He was definitely in a hurry.

"Hyung, you're joining us for lunch?" Asked Kai with a pout. 

Yeonjun was about to answer when he received a text message from someone. He quickly replied to the text message before shaking his head, "Can't."

Kai was understandably crestfallen at Yeonjun's short reply but still managed to give the older boy an affiliative smile, telling him it was okay and that he can always text them if he had a change of heart. Yeonjun gave him an okay sign before shifting his attention to Taehyun, "Soobin will bring you to the staff room for some admin work."

"It's not that I don't want to bring Taehyun there, but I'm on morning duty today."

"So am I."

"Oh, so you get to go for your morning duty but I can't?" 

"I never said you can't. Besides, you didn't say you were on morning duty today." 

"It slipped my mind!"

"Then how is it my fault again?"

The three younger ones watched in silence as the oldest two bickered over the most minuscule thing. 

"Okay, that's enough. Kai and I will bring him there. You guys can go do whatever it is that you have to do. Now shoo!"

Beomgyu led the two youngest to the staff room where they met Kai and Taehyun's homeroom teacher. They settled some of the paperwork, and Taehyun was briefed on the school rules which he believed had been broken by Yeonjun, but that's beside the point. They had five minutes before the bell rang, and Beomgyu had left Taehyun in Kai's care as he made his way to his classroom. 

Taehyun stuck close to Kai, almost as if he was clinging on to the other boy for his dear life. The corridor was full of boisterous students, laughing and playing outside their classroom. It didn’t take long before they noticed the newcomer and soon enough word spread about Taehyun. By lunchtime, Taehyun was dubbed as the next in line to take over Yeonjun's top spot in school. Everyone was convinced he would overtake the older boy in terms of his academic capabilities. Yeonjun, who had obviously heard of these rumours, didn't seem phased by it. In fact, he was rather calm; almost too calm. 

"Yo, is that new kid living with you? Damn, your household keeps getting interesting huh?"

Yeonjun ignored his friend's words as he focused on his lunch. He was well aware of the fact that some of his friends enjoyed badmouthing the other boys and as much as he wanted to stand up for them, Yeonjun always finds himself keeping mum about it. 

"Damn son, the new kid's really a goody-two-shoes huh? Look at his perfectly ironed uniform and that tie. Who wears school ties these days?" 

"Apparently everyone does, except for you Jonghyun. Now, will you shut up before I shove this dumpling down your oesophagus?" Yeonjun shot daggers at his friend who immediately kept his mouth shut. 

"Aren't you a little too protective of the new kid?" Asked Haneul, a petite girl who sat across Yeonjun, "I mean you were never vocal about us talking about the other kids from your household, so it’s kind of weird seeing you get all riled up over what Jonghyun said."

_ The other kids from your household.  _ Yeonjun felt his chest tightening up at that sentence. To him, they weren't just kids who live under the same roof as him. He genuinely treated them as his younger siblings and yet he couldn't bring himself to say that to his friends - all because he wanted to live up to his reputation of being the school’s top student slash trouble maker.

"See you guys later," Yeonjun closed his lunchbox and packed his other belongings. He knew things would turn ugly if he didn't walk away there and then. 

"Where are you going?" Question Haneul, as she grabs hold of Yeonjun's wrist.

Yeonjun softly removed the girl's hand's from his wrist and pointed to where the other boys were seated, "Checking on  _ my brothers." _

  
  


The four boys were joking around with each other when Beomgyu took notice of Yeonjun walking towards them. As a matter of fact, this was the first time Yeonjun had openly interacted with them in school. The table fell silent as Yeonjun plopped himself down beside Soobin; the younger one almost froze from the attention he was receiving from the rest of the student body.

"Hyung, not trying to be mean or anything, but why are you here? Haha," Soobin mumbled under his breath, loud enough for the other four to hear him. 

"What? Weren't you guys the ones bugging me to have lunch with you and now you're complaining about it?"

"Hahaha no, it's not that. It's just that…" Kai paused as he tried to find the perfect word to describe the current situation, one that would least offend Yeonjun. 

"Did your friends dump you? Is that why you're here?" Beomgyu cut the chase and went straight to the point. Taehyun's eyes doubled in size at Beomgyu's straightforward question while he stared at Yeonjun's stoic face.

Yeonjun took notice of Taehyun silently watching him from the other side of the table. He simply shrugged it off as he stole a piece of Beomgyu's apples from his lunchbox, "They were boring me out and I've come to a conclusion that your guys are just as boring as they were."

"Excuse me? We're only like this after you decided to show up out of nowhere."

"Do you want me to leave then, Soobin?"

Taehyun noticed the tension that grew between the older boys and it was starting to grow uncomfortable. The old Taehyun would've gotten up and walked away, maybe even stir shit up, but the new Taehyun knew better than to do any of that.

_ Come on Taehyun. Be at your best behaviour or they will send you back.  _

"I'm pretty sure Yeonjun Hyung has his reasons. Right, Hyung?" 

Yeonjun bit his lower lips, so as to stop himself for telling them the truth as to why he decided to join them, "I just didn't want to deal with a cranky kid at home, okay?"

"Wait, are you talking about me," Kai pointed to himself. 

The quiet table suddenly burst into fits of laughter as the youngest sat there in confusion, not aware that Yeonjun was, in fact, referring to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes I'm back ahsjfhaj this is longgggg overdue but I hope you guys enjoyed reading this chapter


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